“Fitness isn’t about being better than somebody else. It’sabout being better than you used to be.” ~ Unknown

I don’t know about you but the gym and I aren’t really friends! I love working out and being active but the gym is a foreign place with a lot of scary equipment. Due to my ballet training and conditioning over the years I never had to step foot in a gym. Ballet was all the workout I needed and it kept my muscles very lean. The tall, long and lean body is what ballet requires to fulfill the lines many variations call for. It’s not impossible to be a shorter or more muscular ballerina, but imagine a 5’2’’ basketball player. They can still be a good basketball player, it’s just not ideal. Not dancing as often and going off to college required me to venture out to different types of workouts in order to stay fit. From Piyo classes, to Zumba, all are great but Barre classes are the BEST!

Barre classes are exercise classes that pull technique and fundamentals from ballet, Pilates and yoga. It’s structured that you work out your entire body with high reps and focus on strength training. Many times light weights are used, along with a variety of other exercise equipment. What I have come to love about Barre class is that I am able to incorporate a lot of my ballet training and enhance what I work on in the ballet studio. I appreciate that these classes help me tone my muscles and keep me lean, not bulky! By no means do you have to have ballet or any dance training to do well or benefit from Barre classes! I encourage everyone to give it a try because it’s truly a workout that pushes the limits of what you think your body can do!

In preparation for Miss Idaho 2016 I took classes in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho at Reform Studio. Kelly Pintler is the owner and a wonderful instructor! She and her staff provided several different classes that kept me in shape and active over the two weeks I was home. I checked off a bucket list item taking an aerial silks class and realizing that it was not only beautiful but also extremely difficult! I had a lot of fun venturing out of my comfort zone and trying different classes. Staying fit and active should be something you find enjoyment in and have a passion for. If you have any interest in barre, aerial silks, yoga or pilates I highly recommend Reform Studio in Cda!